Parasitism of egg-batches of the cedar processionary moth<Emphasis Type="Italic">Traumatocampa ispartaensis</Emphasis> in Turkey

Studies were carried out on the egg material ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doganlar & Avcı (Lep.: Notodontidae) collected onCedrus libani A. Rich. A total of 95 egg-batches were sampled over two annual generations ofTr. ispartaensis. The number of eggs in each egg-batch varied between 39 and 245 and the length of the batches varied between 7 and 36 mm. The mean number of eggs per batch was found to be 119 and 122 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Based on field data the oviposition period continued from mid August to mid September. The mean hatching rate of the host was found to be 85.8% and 88.9%, whereas the impact of egg parasitoids accounted for 11.3% and 7.4%, respectively in the 2 years.Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) was observed as the most abundant egg parasitoid, followed byOoencyrtus sp. nearmasii (Mercet) andTrichogramma brassicae Bezdenko. Based on the emergence dynamics of the egg parasitoids in the laboratory, it seems thatO. pityocampae emerged mainly in June whereasO. sp. nearmasii andT. brassicae emerged mainly in May. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 3, 2003.     

Note:Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla, a NewRosa spp. Pest for Turkey, and its new parasitoids, a NewRosa spp. Pest for Turkey, and its new parasitoids

In the present study,Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepo Pterophoridae) was noted for the first time as a pest ofRosa spp. in Turkey. The larva ofC. rhododactyla makes a cavity by feeding in the flower-bud and destroys at least 60% of the mass of the flower-bud. There are approximately 12 species ofRosa in Erzurum and Kars provinces, butRosa dumalis Bechst. andR. subcanina L. suffered more damage than the otherRosa species. One species of Tachinidae (Diptera) —Pseudoperichaeta palesoidea (Robineau-Desvoidy), and two species of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) —Sinophorus turionus (Ratz.) andScambus brevicornis Gravenhorst, were reared as larval parasitoids ofC. rhododactyla. C. rhododactyla is a new host record for these parasitoids. Additionally,S. turionus is a new record for the Turkish fauna.     

Preliminary study of the fumigant toxicity of allyl alcohol to three stored-product insects

The toxicity of allyl alcohol as a fumigant was assessed for adults ofTribolium castaneum (Herbst.),Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) andSitophilus oryzae (L.). Fumigations were carried out in 3.4–1 glass containers at concentrations of 1–15 mg/l for 3 h. The most sensitive species wasS. oryzae and the most tolerant wasT. castaneum. A dose of 15 mg/l for 3 h was lethal to all three species tested. The feasibility of proposing allyl alcohol as a candidate fumigant is discussed. Publication of the Agricultural Research Organization.     

Three<Emphasis Type="Italic">Orobanche</Emphasis> species newly found on crops in israel

Orobanche amethystea Thuill.,O. loricata Reichenb. andO. pubescens D’Urv. were found to parasitize the roots of cultivated plants in Israel.Orobanche pubescens is known from the local flora, and was now found to cause damage in parsley fields and toTropaeolum majus L. (nasturtium) in ornamental gardens.Orobanche amethystea andO. loricata are known as occasional weeds in Europe and were recently found for the first time in Israel.Orobanche amethystea densely populated vetch fields in Israel, andO. loricata was found in ornamental gardens. A key for the identification ofOrobanche species in cultivated areas in Israel is given, based on morphological features. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 13, 2002.     

Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi Duponchel (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a pest of gramineous crops and causes significant economic damage to maize. In field surveys on maize to determine the parasitoid community and its impact on the pest in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey, nine parasitoid species were found associated with immature stages ofM. loreyi: The hymenopteran (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) parasitoidsCotesia (=Apanteles) ruficrus (Haliday),Chelonus oculator Panzer,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg),Sinophorus sp.; and the dipteran (Tachinidae) parasitoidsPseudogonia rufifrons Wiedeman,Exorista rossica Mesnil,Gonia picea (Robineau-Desvoidy) andLinnaemya vulpina (Fallen) — the last three recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofM. loreyi in Turkey.C. ruficrus was the dominant parasitoid species, being recovered from 38.5% of the larvae collected and was also the most prevalent species, existing in 91.0% of the fields in whichM. loreyi was found. Total parasitism levels achieved by braconid species was 41.4%, by ichneumonid parasitoids 4.8%, and by tachinid parasitoids 1.9%. In a separate field experiment, seasonal population fluctuations and natural efficiency ofC. ruficrus onM. loreyi were found to be 35.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Population levels ofC. ruficrus were closely related to fluctuations in the population ofM. loreyi, with parasitism ranging between 0 and 77.3% during the study. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

Parasitoid complex of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cameraria ohridella</Emphasis> (lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Serbia

Fourteen species in two families of the order Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae (1 sp.) and Eulophidae (13 spp.), were recorded during the study ofCameraria ohridella parasitoids at eight localities in Serbia. Among the observed parasitoids, the most significant species wereMinotetrastichus frontalis, Pediobius saulius, Pnigalio agraules andClosterocerus trifasciatus. In addition, at some localities the speciesMinotetrastichus platanellus andCirrospilus talitzkii were also significant. The parasitoids do not have a significant effect on the abundance ofC. ohridella because in the majority of study samples parasitism levels did not exceed 20%. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 23, 2004.     

Is the parasitization rate of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaeretiella rapae</Emphasis> influenced when<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brevicoryne brassicae</Emphasis> feeds on<Emphasis Type="Italic">brassica</Emphasis> plants?

The development time and parasitization rate ofDiaeretiella rapae (M’Intosh) onBrevicoryne brassicae (L.) feeding on differentBrassica cultivars was studied in the laboratory at 20°C. The shortest development time from egg to adult parasitoid was 11.6 days on cabbage cv. ‘Yalova 1’ and the longest was 12.1 days on turnip cv. ‘Antep’ and rapeseed cv. local variety. Females lived significantly longer than males on the host plants used in the study. Females and males had the shortest longevity on rapeseed at 11.1 and 5.1 days, respectively. The highest percent parasitism ofB. brassicae byD. rapae was found on cabbage (40.20%), and the lowest was recorded on turnip (32.64%). Our results demonstrate that parasitism rate could be influenced by the plant quality, probably due to the nutritional status of the aphids or to toxic compounds ingested through the plant. Cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli were found to be suitable plants for the parasitoid, considering the development time of pre-adults, and the parasitization rate ofD. rapae onB. brassicae. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 23, 2007.     

Natural occurrence of and inoculation experiments withConidiobolus coronatus andConidiobolus sp. in glasshouse populations ofBemisia tabaci

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), the sweetpotato whitefly, has only one known entomophthoralean pathogen,Erynia radicans (Entomophthoraceae). Two new pathogens have been isolated recently from a glasshouse population of this pest:Conidiobolus coronatus and another, undescribed species ofConidiobolus (Entomophthorales: Ancylistaceae). Artificial inoculation experiments revealed that eggs ofB. tabaci are practically immune to infection by either species. Second-instar larvae are highly resistant, only high doses of conidia causing between <1% and 4.6% mortality. Adults were found to be much more susceptible. Doses of 60 conidia/mm² ofC. coronatus caused average mortalities ofca 95%. The maximum mortality of adults caused byConidiobolus sp. was much lower,ca 30%, at a dose of 210 conidia/mm². The incubation period (inoculation to death) for both species, under our experimental conditions, is very short: 18–24 h forC. coronatus and 30 h forConidiobolus sp. Both fungi produced loricoconidia (conidia metamorphosed into resting spores) on cotton leaves and other dry surfaces. This ability allowedConidiobolus sp. to remain viable for 17–21 days on cotton leaves, in glasshouse conditions and in the absence of hosts, whileC. coronatus persisted for 10–14 days.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ulocladium atrum</Emphasis> as a biological control agent for white mold of bean caused by<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</Emphasis>

Field studies were conducted near Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, in 2001, 2004 and 2005 to determine the efficacy of the antagonistic fungusUlocladium atrum for control of white mold of bean caused bySclerotinia sclerotiorum. Results of the 3 years of field trials showed that, compared with the untreated control, foliar application of a spore suspension ofU. atrum (300 ml m⁻² of 10⁶ spores ml⁻¹ suspension) significantly reduced incidence and severity of white mold, increased seed yield and reduced contamination of bean seed by sclerotia ofS. sclerotiorum. The level of control of white mold observed in the treatment ofU. atrum was similar to that of the mycoparasitic fungusConiothyrium minitans, but lower than the fungicide treatments of Ronilan (vinclozolin) at the rate of 1200 g ha⁻¹ per application in 2001, or Lance (boscalid) at the rate of 750 g ha⁻¹ per application in 2004 and 2005. The potential for use ofU. atrum as a biological control agent for sclerotinia diseases is discussed. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 12, 2006.     

Note: Tachinid parasitoids of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ancyrosoma leucogrammes</Emphasis> and notes on parasitization rates of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clytiomya dupuisi</Emphasis>

The study deals with the tachinid parasitoids ofAncyrosoma leucogrammes (Gmelin) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae):Clytiomya dupuisi Kugler,Clytiomya sola (Rondani) andGymnosoma clavatum (Rohdendorf) (Diptera: Tachinidae). All species are recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofA. leucogrammes, andC. dupuisi was reared for the first time from a host. The parasitization rates ofC. dupuisi on adults ofA. leucogrammes varied from 7% to 9% between 1994 and 1999.C. sola andG. clavatum were reared in only small numbers. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 10, 2003.     

Note: Corn stalk borer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamia nonagrioides</Emphasis>) infestation on sorghum in central Greece

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) was introduced recently into Greece and is being cultivated experimentally for the production of liquid biofuel. A pilot survey was conducted in October 2005 to provide information on the species composition and density of its lepidopterous stem borers, which appear to cause severe losses in production. The dominant pest in that season wasSesamia nonagrioides Lefebvre, with a mean density of 1.41 larvae per plant. Larvae were sampled from various plant internodes and found to have a preference for the lower ones. Analysis of variance showed no significant effects on larval density of the irrigation levels or of the organic — conventional soil fertilization method. A significant negative correlation was found between the body length ofS. nonagrioides larvae and the internode from which they were retrieved. This is the first published report of sorghum borer pests in Greece. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 7, 2007.     

Use of sclerotia of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</Emphasis> for efficient production of conidia of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coniothyrium minitans</Emphasis> in liquid culture

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using sclerotia ofSclerotinia sclerotiorum for producing conidia ofConiothyrium minitans in liquid culture. The medium (SST) was made of water containing 2.0, 1.5, 1.0 or 0.5% (w/v) ground sclerotia ofS. sclerotiorum and 100 μgl ⁻¹ thiamine hydrochloride (HCl). One ml of conidial suspension (2 × 10⁷ conidia ml⁻¹) ofC. minitans LRC 2534 was inoculated into 100 ml of SST medium or control (thiamine HCl in water) and incubated at 20 ± 2°C on a shaker at 200 rpm. Subsamples were removed periodically and examined under a compound microscope. Conidia in the SST media germinated within 24 h, developed into branched hyphae within 48 h, produced pycnidia after 3–4 days, and the pycnidia released mature conidia after 7 days. Production of conidia varied with the concentration of sclerotia in the SST medium. It was lower (3.6 × 10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) at 0.5% but higher (1.2 × 10⁸ conidia ml⁻¹) at 2%. The new conidia were viable and the colonies developing from them showed the original morphological characteristics. It was concluded that using SST liquid medium as a substrate for mass production of conidia ofC. minitans has potential for use in commercial development of this mycoparasite as a biocontrol product. http:www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 23, 2007.     

A survey of the genera of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Microgaster</Emphasis> latreille and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hygroplitis</Emphasis> thomson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from China

The genera ofMicrogaster Latreille 1804 andHygroplitis Thomson 1895 from China are presented systematically in this paper. Thirty-two species ofMicrogaster and three species ofHygroplitis are known in China. Diagnosis, character variation, distribution and host of each species among the two genera are presented, including its host and distribution. Keys to the species ofMicrogaster andHygroplitis are given. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2006.     

A fungistatic chromene from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ageratum conyzoides</Emphasis>

Ageratum conyzoides L. is an annual herb in the tropics and subtropics whose extracts are known to possess pharmacological and biocidal activity. We report on the bioactivity of a secondary metabolite (a chromene) isolated from the shoots ofA. conyzoides against some plant pathogenic fungi. Organic solvent extracts from the shoots were tested for antifungal activity against the plant pathogenic fungiRhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Phomopsis theae andFusarium species growingin vitro on potato dextrose agar medium. The cruden-hexane extract completely inhibited the growth ofR. solani andS. rolfsii. Then-hexane extract was chromatographed over a column of silica gel followed by activity-guided fractionation to give an antifungal principle. Structure elucidation by detailed analysis of¹H,¹³C NMR and mass spectroscopy identified the active compound as precocene II. The growth ofR. solani andS. rolfsii was completely inhibited by precocene II at a concentration of 80–100 ppm. The sclerotia ofR. solani andS. rolfsii were also completely suppressed by 150 ppm of precocene II. Sub-culture of these inhibited fungi onto precocene II-free medium restored growth of the fungus, indicating that precocene II is fungistatic. Crude or refined extracts fromA. conyzoides offer the possibility of biocontrol of plant pathogenic fungi. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 11, 2004.     

Note: Evaluation of antibacterial activity of essential oil of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosa damascena</Emphasis> on<Emphasis Type="Italic">Erwinia amylovora</Emphasis>

Significant antibacterial activity was observed in the essential oil (E.O.) ofRosa damascena Mill. and the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the E.O. was determined as 1386.5 μg ml⁻¹ forErwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight disease. Ooze formation on immature pears and lesion formation in artificially inoculated shoots were completely (100%) prevented by the essential oil ofR. damascena (1500 μg ml⁻¹), essential oil ofThymbra spicata var.spicata (500 μg ml⁻¹) and streptomycin (100 μg ml⁻¹). Copper oxychloride plus maneb significantly reduced ooze formation and lesion formation, but the control was less than that obtained with the essential oils or streptomycin. The essential oil ofR. damascena may be a useful natural bactericide for the control of the fire blight pathogen,E. amylovora. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2004.     

Parasitism and development of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trissolcus simoni</Emphasis> in eggs of different host species

A scelionid egg parasitoid,Trissolcus simoni (Mayr), was investigated by exposing different host eggs to parasitism by females in order to assess the role of this alternative host species in the biological control of the sunn pestEurygaster integriceps Puton. Egg masses of laboratory colonies of four field-collected host species were used in the experiments. Parasitism rates ofE. integriceps, Dolycoris baccarum (L.),Graphosoma lineatum L. andCarpocoris pudicus (Pd.) averaged 86.8%, 81.6%, 82.8% and 84.0%, respectively. The parasitoid sex ratio and the percent of adult emergence did not differ significantly among the four hosts. The average development period was shorter inD. baccarum andC. pudicus, with respective mean times of 10.3 and 10.8 days for females, and 9.2 and 9.6 days for males, than inE. integriceps andG. lineatum. According to these results, all the tested eggs were adequate hosts forT. simoni development. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2003.     

Pathogenic races and inoculum density ofFusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum in commercial watermelon fields in southern Turkey

Systematic surveys forFusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum (Fon) were conducted in a total of 141 fields in the watermelon-growing areas of the Mediterranean and southeastern Anatolia regions of Turkey in 2004 and 2005. The mean incidence and prevalence of the disease were higher in the southeastern Anatolia region than in the Mediterranean region. Maximum disease incidence during the 2-year survey was 46.3%. However, mean disease prevalence ranged from 27.3% to 63.6% in southern Turkey. Of the 33 isolates ofFon recovered, 19 were recovered from Adana, two from Mersin, one from Gaziantep, four from Sanlıurfa, five from Adıyaman, one from Batman, one from Diyarbakır. The physiological race of each isolate was determined by the disease reaction in five differential watermelon cultivars (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai). Of the isolates recovered from the Mediterranean region, 47.6% were identified as race 0, 38.1% as race 1, and 14.3% as race 2. Among the 12 isolates recovered from the southeastern Anatolia region, four isolates were identified as race 0, and eight isolates as race 1. Race 2 was not detected in this region. This is the first report ofFon races 0 and 1 in southeastern Anatolia. The population density ofFon in both the Mediterranean and southeastern Anatolia regions ranged from 116.1 to 4444.7 CFU g⁻¹ of soil. The mean inoculum density was much higher in watermelon-growing areas in the southeastern Anatolia region in comparison with the Mediterranean region, with a mean inoculum density of 1547.2 CFU g⁻¹. Race 0 and race 1 were the most prevalent races in the fields with the mean highest and lowest inoculum density, respectively. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting March 10, 2008.     

Development and fecundity ofSitobion avenae on some wheat cultivars under laboratory conditions

Nymphal development time and fecundity ofSitobion avenae (F.) (Homoptera: Aphididae) were determined on nine widespread wheat varieties cultivated in Tekirdağ Region in Turkey. Tests were carried out in controlled environment chambers (25±1°C, 65±5% r.h.; 16:8, L:D). Development time (±S.E.) ranged from 5.75±0.25 to 7.20±0.20 days. Fecundity per female ofS. avenae was found to be the highest (12.87±1.50) on wheat cv. ‘Sana’. In this investigation cvs. ‘MV-17’, ‘Miryana’, ‘Pehlivan’ and ‘Saraybosna’ were particularly resistant againstS. avenae. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 8, 2002.     

White rust of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ipomoea</Emphasis> caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Albugo ipomoeae-panduratae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. ipomoeae-hardwickii</Emphasis> and their host specificity

In some areas of Japan, yellow spots with white pustules on leaves, stems, petioles, peduncles and calyces were found on Ipomoea nil, I. triloba, I. lacunosa and I. hederacea var. integriuscula. We demonstrated that the diseases on I. nil, I. triloba and I. lacunosa were caused by host-specific strains of Albugo ipomoeae-panduratae and defined three forma speciales of the fungus, respectively, for the three Ipomoea species: “f. sp. nile”, “f. sp. trilobae” and “f. sp. lacunosae”. Because the diseases were new to Japan, we coined the Japanese name “shirosabi-byo”, which means white rust. We also showed that the disease on I. hederacea var. integriuscula was caused by A. ipomoeae-hardwickii. We named this new disease “white rust (shirosabi-byo in Japanese)”.     

Insecticidal activity of crude seed extracts of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Annona</Emphasis> spp.,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lansium domesticum</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sandoricum koetjape</Emphasis> against lepidopteran larvae

Crude ethanolic seed extracts ofAnnona muricata, A. squamosa (Annonaceae),Lansium domesticum andSandoricum koetjape (Meliaceae) collected from different locations and years in Maluku, Indonesia, were screened for inhibition of larval growth against the polyphagous lepidopteranSpodoptera litura (Noctuidae). Extracts ofA. squamosa were significantly more active (20-fold) than those ofA. muricata. A. squamosa collected from Namlea yielded the extracts with the greatest inhibitory activity. There were significant differences among locations for bothA. squamosa andA. muricata but not forL. domesticum andS. koetjape. Extracts ofA. squamosa, collected from Namlea, inhibited larval growth in a dose-dependent manner, with a dietary EC₅₀ (effective concentration to inhibit growth by 50% relative to controls) of 191.7 ppm fresh weight. Extracts ofA. squamosa collected from individual trees in Namlea also varied in growth inhibitory effect againstS. litura andTrichoplusia ni larvae. This species is a candidate for development of a botanical insecticide for local use in Indonesia. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 1, 2003.